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Infant eye infection yellow discharge


Eye - Pus or Discharge

Is this your child's symptom?

  • Yellow or green discharge (pus) in the eye
  • The eyelids are stuck (matted) together with pus after sleep
  • After being wiped away, the pus comes back during the day
  • Often caused by a bacterial eye infection

Causes of Eye with Pus

  • Bacterial Conjunctivitis. This is a bacterial infection of the eye. The main symptom is eyelids stuck together with pus after sleep. Can be present in 1 or both eyes. A few viruses can cause pus in the eyes, but most don't.
  • Viral Conjunctivitis. This is a viral infection of the eyes. Main symptom is pinkness of the white parts of the eyes. The eyes are also watery. Most often, there is no pus. Usually on both sides.
  • Normal Discharge. A small amount of dried mucus only in the corner of the eye. It may not even be pus. A collection of mucus can be cream colored. Often due to an irritant that got in the eye from dirty hands. Needs no treatment except wiping it away with warm water.
  • Blocked Tear Duct. Present in 10% of newborns. Main symptom is a constant watery eye. Tears fill the eye and run down the face. This happens even when not crying. The eye is not red and the eyelid is not swollen. The wet eye may get secondary infections. This will cause the eyelids to become matted with pus.
  • Foreign Object in Eye (Serious). Small particles such as sand, dirt or sawdust can be blown into the eyes. The grit often gets stuck under the upper eyelid. If not removed, the eye reacts by producing pus. The main clue is an eye infection that does not respond to antibiotic eyedrops. Older children complain of feeling something in the eye.
  • Eyelid Cellulitis (Serious). This is a deep infection of the eyelid and tissues around it. The main symptom is a red, swollen, very tender eyelid. The eye can be swollen shut. Usually only on one side. This can be a problem caused by bacterial conjunctivitis. The eye infection spreads inward. More commonly this is caused by an ethmoid sinus infection. That type occurs without any pus in the eye.

Symptoms of Bacterial Eye Infection

  • Yellow or green discharge or pus in the eye
  • Dried pus on the eyelids and eyelashes
  • The eyelashes are more likely to be stuck together after sleep
  • The whites of the eye may or may not be red or pink
  • The eyelids are often puffy

When to Call for Eye - Pus or Discharge

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

  • Eyelid is very red or very swollen
  • Vision is blurred
  • Eye pain or discomfort is more than mild
  • Fever over 104° F (40° C)
  • Fever in baby less than 12 weeks old. Caution: do NOT give your baby any fever medicine before being seen.
  • Your child looks or acts very sick
  • You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

  • Pus in the eye, but none of the symptoms above. Reason: you may need antibiotic eyedrops to treat it.
  • Using antibiotic eye drops more than 3 days and pus is still there

Seattle Children's Urgent Care Locations

If your child’s illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.

  • Bellevue
  • Everett
  • Federal Way
  • Seattle
  • Virtual Urgent Care

Care Advice for Pus In the Eye

  1. What You Should Know About Bacterial Eye Infections:
    • Bacterial eye infections are common with colds.
    • They respond to home treatment with antibiotic eye drops which need a prescription.
    • They are not harmful to vision.
    • Until you get some antibiotic eye drops, here is some advice that should help.
  2. Remove Pus:
    • Remove all the dried and liquid pus from the eyelids. Use warm water and wet cotton balls to do this.
    • Do this whenever pus is seen on the eyelids.
    • Also, remove the pus before the antibiotic eye drops are put in. Reason: they will not work if you don't.
    • The pus can spread infection to others. So, dispose of it carefully.
    • Wash your hands well after any contact with the pus.
  3. Antibiotic Eye Drops: How to Use
    • For a cooperative child, gently pull down on the lower lid. Put 1 drop inside the lower lid. Then ask your child to close the eye for 2 minutes. Reason: so the medicine will get into the tissues.
    • For a child who won't open his eye, have him lie down. Put 1 drop over the inner corner of the eye. If your child opens the eye or blinks, the eye drop will flow in. If he doesn't open the eye, the drop will slowly seep into the eye.
  4. Contact Lenses:
    • Children who wear contact lenses need to switch to glasses until the infection is gone.
    • Reason: to prevent damage to the cornea.
    • Disinfect the contacts before wearing them again.
    • Discard them if they are disposable.
  5. Return to School:
    • Your child can return to school when the pus is a small amount.
    • Antibiotic eye drops should be used for 24 hours before going back.
  6. What to Expect:
    • With treatment, the pus discharge should clear up in 3 days.
    • The red eyes may last up to a week.
  7. Call Your Doctor If:
    • Eyelid gets red or swollen
    • You think your child needs to be seen
    • Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

Last Reviewed: 03/10/2023

Last Revised: 12/30/2022

Copyright 2000-2023. Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.

Sticky eye | Pregnancy Birth and Baby

Sticky eye | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content

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What is sticky eye?

If your baby's eye is very watery and there is some discharge, it's probably a blocked tear duct. This is also known as 'sticky eye'. This condition usually gets better by itself, but it's still wise to check with your doctor. There are things you can do to help it get better and avoid infection.

What causes sticky eye?

Glands inside the upper eyelids produce tears. The tears flow over the surface of the eye. They drain away through small openings in the inside corner of the upper and lower eyelids. The tears then flow through the tear duct to the nose.

About 1 in 20 babies is born with tear ducts that are too narrow or blocked completely. Sometimes the tear duct (tube) is blocked by a plug of mucus or cells that developed before the baby was born. This means their tears can't drain away and their eyes are wet all the time.

Is it sticky eye?

If your baby has sticky eye, their eye or eyes will water a lot. They may have tears running down their cheeks. Sometimes there may be swelling and a sticky yellow or green discharge. Sticky eye is not an infection and should not cause your child pain.

Other symptoms may mean the eye is infected, such as red, swollen, or sore eyes. Your baby may also have a fever or be fussier than usual.

Eye infections include conjunctivitis and dacryocystitis. You should always see your doctor if you think your baby has an eye infection.

You should also see your doctor if:

  • your baby seems sensitive to light
  • they have large amounts of eye discharge
  • they are constantly squeezing their eyes shut
  • the side of their nose seems swollen, red, and painful
  • the tear duct is still blocked by the time they reach 1 year of age

How is sticky eye treated?

Sticky eye normally clears up by the time your baby is 12 months. If there is any sign of infection, your doctor might give your baby some antibiotic eye drops or ointment.

Some babies will need surgery if the blocked tear duct doesn't improve. This is done with a general anaesthetic, so the doctor can open the tear duct with a probe.

How do I manage my baby’s sticky eye?

There are ways for you to help manage and treat your baby’s sticky eye.

To help the blocked tear duct, your doctor may teach you a special massage.

If your baby has sticky eye, it is important to keep their eyes clean. This will help prevent infection.

Wash the affected eye or eyes as needed, following the directions below:

  1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
  2. Pat the eye dry with a clean (or disposable) towel.
  3. Gently wipe each eye with a disposable cotton swab soaked in water or a weak saline solution, making sure to wipe from the inside corner of the eye to the outside corner.
  4. Do not touch the eye itself or clean inside the eyelid because you may damage the eye.
  5. Use a new cotton swab for each eye.
  6. Wash your hands again.

You can make saline solution by dissolving:

  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 cup (250ml) of boiling water

Make sure that the solution has cooled to room temperature before using.

There is also evidence to support using breastmilk to clean your baby's eye. This will not cause any harm to your baby.

If you see signs of an infection, you should see your doctor.

Sources:
Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service (Blocked tear duct (nasolacrimal duct obstruction)), Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) (Acute red eye in children), The Royal Hospital for Women (Sticky eye care for a neonate), Perth Children’s Hospital (Blocked tear duct (Nasolacrimal duct obstruction)), International Ophthalmology (The natural process of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction and effect of lacrimal sac massage)

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: July 2022


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Related pages

  • Conjunctivitis
  • Cleaning your baby's ears, eyes and nose

Need more information?

Conjunctivitis | SA Health

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the lining of the eye and eyelid caused by bacteria, viruses, chemicals or allergies.